Step one: The Pantry

The first thing we did when we decided to go Paleo was throw away everything in our house that wasn't within our new guidelines.  Well, actually, the first thing we did was have one last week of awful, carb-packed food, including several nights of boxed mac and cheese.  Then we felt crappy and had even more motivation to clean out the pantry.

Oh how I wish I had before pictures!  Well, I kind of do.  Here is our pantry taken just after I re-organized it to look pretty about a year ago.  But of course, it's not what's on the outside, but the inside that matters.  Here, it's packed full - white and wheat flour, white and brown sugars, rice, cereal, pasta, cookies, crackers, brownie mixes and packaged foods.

 

Now here's the after:

Cooking items include olive, coconut, sesame and walnut oil, balsamic, apple cider and white vinegar, coconut aminos (replaces soy sauce), cooking wine, honey and grade B maple syrup.  Please note: I realize that Paleo espouses the use of raw honey.  Since that costs about 2 - 3x the amount of processed honey and we use honey constantly, we haven't made that change yet.  Maybe once Mike is a doctor...

There are still opportunities to bake in Paleo!  But you'll definitely need almond meal, almond flour, coconut flour, possibly coconut sugar (or palm or date sugar), salt, cocoa, baking soda, almond butter and coconut milk.

 

And of course the requisite raw nuts and non-refridgerated fruits and veggies.